Martha Stewart Has Been Quarantining With Her Gardener and Baking Lots of Cookies

Photo credit: RYAN MCCALLISTER - Instagram
Photo credit: RYAN MCCALLISTER - Instagram

From House Beautiful

When we entered a period of social isolation a few weeks back (more like a few months now...), it's safe to say most of us weren't exactly sure what we were getting into. Now, we know it meant spending basically all our time with our partners, kids, and, in Martha Stewart's gardener's case, our bosses!

Martha and her gardener Ryan McCallister have been isolating together on her New York estate for the past few weeks and while spending a few weeks with anyone can be tough, it actually sounds lovely, according to their recent profile in Town & Country.

It sounds like the decision was initially made very casually, as Ryan said he thought to himself, "‘Why not just stay in the guest house for a few days until this is over?’” It's been 45 days and he's still there.

Ryan has been working with Martha for about 10 years so they seem to have a great working relationship, which I'd imagine is now coming in handy as they work together on her Bedford, NY, estate. He's even been filming all her videos on social media. And since spring is here, Ryan said they're pretty busy in the garden.

“This is actually working out pretty well,” he said: “Since we're at the house all the time we can work earlier and later and we get a lot more things done. And Martha doesn't just sit there and say, ‘Do that!’ She's out there doing everything with you.”

Along with Ryan, Martha is spending time at the estate with her driver and housekeeper, playing cards and sharing meals together. The only issue, according to Ryan? Like us, Martha seems to be doing her fair share of stress baking.

“Ordinarily I can burn off extra calories. But when Martha offers you a cookie you can’t just say no. They're delicious and you eat three," he said.

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